Arkansas` Clinton Talks Of Party Bid

August 19, 1991|By Thomas Hardy, Chicago Tribune.

SEATTLE — Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton was discussing what sounded like his impending Democratic presidential candidacy Sunday morning when he coined what might turn out to be the campaign theme: ``Keep the American dream alive.``

After more than a decade of Republican presidents, Clinton said, a mood of cynicism has fallen over Americans, particularly lower-income groups, about whether anyone in the White House cares about them.

``People are aching and worried sick about the future,`` he said.

Clinton said the 1992 presidential campaign ``is really about whether we can preserve the American dream and whether the future can be better than the present, whether we`ll continue the decline of the last 10 years relative to other countries, and the absolute decline of one-half our people.

``And if we want to avoid that,`` he continued, ``we`ve got to create real opportunity in this country again-real economic growth, world-class education and a government that can work and solve problems again, like health-care availability.``

If Clinton isn`t already a candidate, he was beginning to sound like one as he held the political spotlight at the annual convention of the National Governors` Association (NGA), three days after quitting as chairman of the moderate Democratic Leadership Council to form a presidential exploratory committee.

``I am inclined to run, but I have not made a decision to run because I still have some things to work out at home,`` said Clinton, visiting with 16 reporters from across the country after appearing on a national public affairs television program.

Presumably the loose ends-a campaign staff, financing and arranging for the management of day-to-day affairs of Arkansas, where Clinton is serving his fifth term as governor-will be tied up by late September, and he will formally announce his plans then.

Former Sen. Paul Tsongas of Massachusetts is the only declared Democratic challenger to President Bush. Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa is expected to officially launch his campaign next month; Virginia Gov. Douglas Wilder also has an exploratory committee, and Sen. Albert Gore of Tennessee and Jesse Jackson are weighing the race.

Four years ago, Clinton arrived at the governors` conference, having just bowed out of contention for the Democratic nomination, and then-Gov. Michael Dukakis of Massachusetts became the center of attention, though he would lose to Bush.

As the governor of a small southern state, Clinton has used the National Governors` Association and the Democratic Leadership Council to provide him with as high a national profile as possible.

For example, as vice chairman of a task force on health care, the NGA`s centerpiece policy issue at this meeting, Clinton has been afforded a leading- spokesman role on a subject of keen interest to most Americans. And since first taking office in 1979, Clinton has served stints as chairman of the NGA and the Democratic Governors` Association as well as the Democratic Leadership Council.

Clinton has used his turn at the helm of the Democratic Leadership Council to establish himself as a centrist and set himself apart from the party liberalism espoused by Dukakis and Harkin.

``I don`t think the Democrats can go out there and promise a program for every problem,`` said Clinton, who turns 45 on Monday.

An advocate of education vouchers, economic development policies, certain kinds of tax breaks, the death penalty, greater local control and other positions not often embraced by more liberal Democrats, Clinton said he would seek ``radical`` changes where necessary to make government more efficient, just as corporations do to respond to market conditions.

As for his lack of foreign policy experience, Clinton conceded that Bush`s victory in the Persian Gulf war is what makes him so formidible.

``The first job of the president is to protect the national security, and you can`t be elected if people look at you and they wonder,`` said Clinton, who supported the war against Iraq and added that he agrees with Bush on ``a lot`` of foreign policy issues. However, Clinton criticized Bush for favoring what he called stability over ``finishing the job`` in the name of democratic ideals in dealing with Iraq and the Soviet republics.

A Rhodes Scholar who graduated from Georgetown University`s School of Foreign Service and Yale Law School, Clinton said he has maintained his interest and knowledge on foreign policy matters.

``I think people will be satisfied with what I say,`` Clinton said, sounding again like a candidate.